IOC cautions national federations

The National Sports Federations (NSFs) run the risk of stringent action from international bodies if they align with the suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) or attend any of its meetings.

A letter written on Monday by the IOC’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) relations director, Pere Miro, says, “The members of the suspended IOA must not associate themselves with these illegitimate individuals (new IOA members) or interact with them in any manner whatsoever. In particular, the national federations must not attend any meeting convened by these individuals, who do not represent the suspended IOA.

“In the event that any federation associates itself with these individuals, in violation of the IOC's decisions and the Olympic Charter, the IOC will immediately ask the international federation concerned to take necessary action,” the letter addressed to suspended IOA acting president VK Malhotra and secretary-general, Randhir Singh, says.

“The IOA was suspended by the IOC on Dec 4, 2012. In spite of this decision, illegal "elections" were conducted…the regrettable behaviour of these (new) individuals is serving only to aggravate the situation of the suspended IOA by adding unnecessary complications, thereby delaying the resolution of the pending issues,” the letter further added.